This just in. Various sources are reporting that Secretary of State John Heinz-Kerry is having a farewell meeting with Saudi King Salman. There are photos of Heinz-Kerry and assorted Saudi royals smiling at each other. What the media seem to be censoring out are the images of Heinz-Kerry kissing King Salman's ass on behalf of President Obama.

Oh, everyone wants to influence US government policy making in directions that suit their own best interests - including the government of my own country. There is however a distinction to be made between normal diplomatic negotiating and the employment of more under-the-country, underhand and/or nefarious methods - which seem to be the point of this discussion..

neverfail wrote:Oh, everyone wants to influence US government policy making in directions that suit their own best interests - including the government of my own country. There is however a distinction to be made between normal diplomatic negotiating and the employment of more under-the-country, underhand and/or nefarious methods - which seem to be the point of this discussion..

Thai US has an official policy of secreting the holdings of the KSA and some other strategic oil powers.

As the Gulf States and their ruling families are the same thing, this has the effect of secreting the holdings of wealthy Arab individuals, and therefore their influence, their behaviour etc.

Immediately after 911 the US ordered a special airlift that transported a number of wealthy arabs back to the gulf, where they are permanently out of the reach of law enforcement. There are many other examples of unique privilege being granted to Gulf State citizens.

It might be different if these states were steadfast allies but they seem to be allies of convenience, at best.

Kuwait’s ambassador to the U.S. says his embassy didn't feel any pressure to move an event to President-elect Donald Trump’s new hotel in Washington.

Reports Monday said the Embassy of Kuwait reportedly switched venues from a Four Seasons hotel after pressure from members of the Trump Organization. But Ambassador Salem al-Sabah is dismissing those claims.

Sertorio wrote:US foreign policy? Which foreign policy? All I have seen ever since I remember is the US wanting to impose its will on everybody else, and using force whenever necessary to achieve it...

The US conducts foreign policy - if only they didn't. No foreign policy would be superior to the blundering US actions around the world today.

Case in point - apparently the US plans not to veto the Egyptian-sponsored UN resolution condemning Israel. Just another in the long list of US failures to support its friends and enable radical Islam. But not to worry. The UN is useless, and the Israelis will do whatever they have to do to preserve their lands against Muslim encroachment.